Joys of Parenthood
by KSCmemories
Summary: Natsuki tells the story of her family, and what it was like for her and Shizuru to raise her two children, however, raising children isn't as easy as some parents make it seem. Every day is just a new chance at difficult times, and embarrassing situations


A/N: Yeah, I know. There are enough ShizNat fictions where they have kids running around. I just wanted to do one too. Easy, right? Right...kinda. There will be lemons, foul language, and of course, all hijinks pertaining to the characters in the fiction you can imagine. Both OOC idiocy, and normal idiocy will likely ensue, so be forewarned. This is very crackish in appearance. This isn't your average "ShizNat with children" fiction.  
>As for why I'm doing it? It's goofy, it's odd, it's different, and I have to kill my writers block somehow...<p>

The inspiration from this comes from partly Anime, some real life, and the one thing someone very important to me always says: Truth isn't stranger than fiction, it's what makes fiction believable. I tend to agree. Anyway, on with the story.

I don't own Mai Otome.

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

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><p>Ah, the sounds of silence. My daughter is spending the night at her friend's house tonight. Something about a sleepover. It doesn't matter. As long as they are being supervised, I could honestly care less. I have complete faith in my little girl, who, in bitter yet sweet reflection, isn't quite so little any more. Now, I'm not exactly one who likes to brag, but I'd like to state, that through every possible hell upon this earth, I've finally gotten a son through collage, and a daughter who will be out of the house at the end of the year. Then, it will be her turn to enjoy the joys of being an Otome. After that, thank all the gods in heaven, my house can finally be mine again. My wife will be mine. My kitchen will be mine. My life, will be coming into a point where I can be happy for all that I have accomplished.<p>

Still, it leaves me with a sense of feeling...well, I feel old. I know I'm not, I'm only in my early fifties. I've got quite some time left in me before I reach that stage. Yet, no matter how much I try, I can't seem to shake the feeling that I'm one of those old farts who continually jabber on about the good ole days. I do that occasionally, but, I wouldn't say I'm as bad as some. Can I help it? Raising children was some of the best years of my life...and, ironically enough, it was also some of the most chaotic, insane, unbelievable, amazingly aggravating times in all of my life.

It should come as no surprise that raising a child is one of the most difficult tasks in all of the world. If it is a surprise, then my friend, I feel pity for you, living under a rock much not be fun. Babies, kids, and teens, they aren't easy.

Don't believe me? It's harder than it looks. You worry...I mean really worry. It all starts when you get this wonderful little idea. When you utter the words "I want to have a baby," you just beg for trouble. Now, aside from the pregnancy, and let me just tell you that's entirely different bag of kittens, you often get ideas. You know, the ideal life you want. It's different for everyone, but this my friend, is a little piece of advise. Expect the unexpected. In fact, if you were a smart person, like I was clearly not, you'd do less planning on the ideal lifestyle, and more planning about basic logic.

A child, no matter how cute they are, are not easy to take care of. Think about it, really...

They scream, puke, crap, and, you, my friend, are normally the one who must deal with cleaning up the mess. This, ironically enough, does not only count for babies. Oh no sir. I have horror stories about my son after diapers, let me tell you. Damn, I'm rambling now aren't I? Anyway, I, like most stupid people, did the moronic thing thinking it would be easy. How hard could it be raising a child? My parents did it, right? Correct, yes they did. Unfortunately, through divine retribution, I now think the term "Just like you" is not comical. Sometimes its not even remotely a good thing. Why?

Because, more often than not, our children seem to find things much more amusing copying our bad habits rather than mimic the good ones. Oh trust me, you think it's adorable now when they stick their tongue out as a small baby...not when they're fifteen and screaming at you... trust me on this, my dear friend. That cute little waggle of their pointer finger may be amusing at two, it is no longer quite so, especially when your belligerent teen decides to test out the middle one, and trust me, they will try it. Pretty princess costumes are all fine and dandy, but let me just say, it is very difficult to enforce a good personality when your teenaged daughter is more interested in what cosmetics she must wear, rather than her quality of friendship she keeps.

As I said, parenting is a long, hard, and often maddening road. If the constant "I'm not touching you" screaming, or the epic "You never understand" battles down the line don't prove it, I have no idea what does. No, being the parent that I am, I've come to understand one thing. Twenty or so years is both a whole hell of a lot longer, and far too short, than most care to admit. It really isn't enough time to make sure you've done everything correctly the first time. In the same respect, sometimes you feel as if a single day is far too long. As I sit in my living room, enjoying the relative quiet of my home, I've come to realize just how empty it really is, and, even if my children aren't ready for it, I would like grandchildren sometime in my future...preferably before I'm so old that I can barely see.

This is why, if even for a few moments, I will sit in my old recliner, and think back into the olden days. This, mind you, was before my hair ended up going a few shades lighter due with my age. Ah yes. I remember it well. Perhaps not as one direct memory, but rather by the year. In those days, Shizuru and I had retired from being Otome. However, this did not mean we gave up on the joys that went along with it. I still ended up staying the principal at Garderobe, all through Shizuru's first pregnancy, and up until she delivered. Hell, I even stayed around as administration well into my son's late teens. Now, you'd think we would have been smart enough that one of us would be a stay at home parent.

We weren't.

Contrary to the popular belief, we didn't have a stay at home parent. Instead we had a stay at home Otome. Nao, to be exact. Bad idea number...I've lost count. Not that Nao isn't a great babysitter, but, remember what I said about children picking up bad habits? Now you know why my son, wonderful squirt that he was, often became the source of my migraines. Alas, again, I'm speeding ahead as if my personal moment isn't so personal...but I guess it isn't, is it...

* * *

><p>"What are you doing Natsuki?" A beautiful woman, one who had aged with a fine grace came to stand in the room. Hardly a wrinkle upon her face, only a few laugh lines and a hint of crows feet marking her otherwise beautiful skin. Her tawny hair had begun growing lighter as the years went by, the gray easily blending with that of her natural color. In her hands, she held a silver tray, a pot of tea, and a plate of cookies, the evening snack.<p>

"Just thinking." Natsuki shrugged. "I was reading over a few bits of paperwork, nothing important."

"Hmm." Shizuru regarded the coffee table as she poured Natsuki a cup of the steaming beverage. "Is that why the photo album finds itself sitting over the apparently unimportant paperwork?" Natsuki nodded, knowing that it was an honest question, and Shizuru found herself gazing at the opened page with slight interest. "He was so little when we first brought him home."

"He grew up fast though." Natsuki sipped at her tea, something she had learned to love when she was still in school.

"They always do." Shizuru agreed. "Almost makes me want a third."  
>Natsuki closed her eyes, placing the cup upon her side table, the hints of a smile on her face. "I used to think about that, from time to time."<p>

"Sometimes I wonder why we didn't have more children, and then I realize we had plenty over the years. Garderobe needed us, and you can say that we didn't help parent those young girls." Shizuru also found herself caught in the moment, sighing as she found a photo of Natsuki holding him. "He was such a cute baby. I don't think anyone really knew the trouble he would get into."

* * *

><p>That he was, my son, my son. Quite the adorable little pain in the butt too, if I do remember correctly. From day one, his idea of sleep and mine were far different. From month one, his idea of meal time and mine were different, and from year one, his idea of fun was my worst nightmare. I could kill Nao for half of her more...lets call them scatterbrained ideas, but, I simply must digress. My son was a rather small baby. Could fit in my arms like a cradled football, an aspect, that early on I rather liked. I never was a girly female. I had always liked the idea of having a son. Daughters are all well and good, I was one after all...but having a son meant that I could show my more masculine side. Something, that I admit, fizzled out as I aged, but never really went away for good.<p>

I know I'm a female, and I did carry our youngest into full term, so I know a little bit about being a woman, and the joys what it means. I was just, well I guess you could say that I liked having the occasional assumption that a tomboy could be elegant and sophisticated too. If I never gave up the harsher points of my personality, I would have liked to think that it didn't hinder my ability as an Otome. It surely hadn't hurt Haruka in any possible way...in fact, most would argue that it was because of her overly aggressive behavior, that she and the President worked so well together, both in office and in the bedroom. Granted, the latter is an inside joke among their close friends, but again, I'm diving too deeply. Old age does that to a person.

All I honestly wanted in my younger years, was to become a parent, and it was only a natural choice that Shizuru also wanted the same. She, being the more feminine of the both of us, jumped right onto the baby train with little worry about her machines getting weaker, or even depleting entirely. I was always more of the mindset that I should be the one working, providing for my family, and early on, I fell into that role harder than I perhaps should have. I still wonder sometimes...what it would have been like, had we decided on having more children...then I realize, that it would have been highly unlikely. Women who become Otome often have complications when their reproductive system comes into play, and it isn't just the machines we inject into our bodies.

* * *

><p>Natsuki looked down at Shizuru, who had now taken to laying across the nearest sofa with a contented half gaze, the mug of tea resting upon her stomach when she wasn't sipping at it. "Tell me something." Natsuki began, that was how their talks always began. A curious question, an almost thought out answer. It was easy enough when the two of them were involved. "Did you ever regret not having a larger family when we had the chance?" Crimson eyes were something of an inquiry, but also contented.<p>

"No, I don't believe so." Shizuru laughed slightly. "We knew from the start that our window of opportunity would be much shorter than the average woman. We were lucky we were blessed with two healthy babies."

Natsuki nodded at that, but didn't say a word. Instead, the barest hint of a dejected sigh found her lips, like that of a depressing song in the evening air. "You'd think it would have detoured most women from even carrying a baby. I know that science has progressed a long way, but I often wonder what would have happened if it stayed the same."

"Surely you know it wouldn't have." Shizuru giggled at the face Natsuki made in response. It was one of slight annoyance, one where her mind couldn't stop playing with impossibilities and situations long gone. "If it hadn't been this generation, it would have been the next. It was only a matter of time, my Natsuki."

* * *

><p>She was right. It would have only taken some hard work and determination. However, it is as I said. Back in our younger years, the nano machines weren't as easily dealt with as they are in this day and age. When we were first fitted with them, we knew the risks. It would be highly unlikely that we would be able to give birth after our mid thirties. You see, an Otome gains power through both a GEM, and nano machines. Do you know how a GEM is made? It is a byproduct, normally made from a woman, an Otome, who had passed away. Instead of allowing her to rest in peace, we sustain her life force, making her birth power that we use in making GEMS. The catch? The woman had to have given birth at least once in her lifetime.<p>

Back in history, when the machines were far harsher on the host and her body, to carry a child with any amount of success was a rarity for an extremely long time. My generation, the one that Shizuru and myself found ourselves shoved into the academy, it was only starting to become more and more common. We now know the danger it causes. In fact, it was because of the danger that I, at one time, wished to eliminate the usage of Otome power. Some people had argued that anyone becoming an Otome should first be rendered incapable of childbirth...Needless to say, these are radicals who I personally don't agree with. However, it is with inward regret that I recall those talks.

Otome still exist today, however, the new generation has been reverted back into its old ways. Now, it is increasingly difficult for any Otome to birth a child, just as it had once been. While I know it won't ever remove the danger of another war, it will at least keep the reminder within every woman. To become an Otome, you must forfeit a woman's happiness, and willingly. We now know that wasn't just a pretty speech. It was a statement placed on the oath for many reasons, ones that although Miss Maria stated many times, I find I've only understood after my retirement.

Sometimes its ironic how things like that work.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Natsuki." Shizuru smiled as she looked across the room, and then again at the photo album. "Do you remember the day we first brought him home?" The photo was what prompted that question, Natsuki was sure of it. Looking at the old photo, Natsuki could say that yes, she remembered that day well.<p>

"I remember driving up and getting out of the poor excuse for a car. The first moments we didn't know what we should be doing, and the phone rang off the hook... The first time you got a bottle ready in our kitchen, I just sat there and looked stupidly in awe. He was looking at me, and I felt like I was an idiot...like I would somehow screw up. It was like he was daring me to do something."

"You mean like you did when you thought the rash cream worked on poison ivy?" Shizuru questioned innocently, recalling an incident that was actually from a time when her children were much older. Otome camping trips were never Natsuki's strong suit. In fact, that was one part of the exams she failed...Repeatedly.

"Hey!" Natsuki barked. "That was a completely unrelated mishap!" As if to defend her statement, she gulped at her tea, clearing her throat before she spoke. "Beside, that shit is a cream for rashes, how was I supposed to know it wouldn't work." By this time, all Shizuru was doing was snickering under her breath, Natsuki's indignant pout something that not only transcended time, at also got even more amusing as the woman aged. "I fail to see the amusement in my suffering..."

"It's because my Natsuki is so cute. I remember how she called me, asking why the itch wasn't going away. You looked so helpless, and never mind the children..." Shizuru smiled softly, trying to appease her lover. "Honestly though, as much as I like that face, it makes you look like a grumpy old goat. You'll get your face stuck like that one day if you keep it up."

"Shizuru..." It was more a whispered habit now than a full on blush. Natsuki had gained some immunity of that over the years, but even so, Natsuki still managed to get caught with a red face rather frequently. "It hasn't yet."

* * *

><p>All of her blasted teasing aside, I know she means well. I also have a slew of moments where an entire group ended up cackling like hyenas at my expense. Just because I personally like ignoring the issue, doesn't mean she does. I find that more often than not, she retells the stories more than she hides them. Lucky for me, she has her own share of moments that make her look stupid, although, I must say in her defense, those times are few and far between. Lucky for her, she knows how to save herself if she does do something. I usually just make it worse...I still do.<p>

Anyway, all my idiocy aside, and trust me, I have a lot of it, I thought being a parent would be something I was completely prepared for. I would have liked to think that Shizuru and I were capable of raising a child. Our entire lives revolved around teenaged Otome candidates...trainees that I honestly wish I could forget, and others that I would place on a higher pedestal than Shizuru herself, as far as being an Otome would be concerned at any rate. Needless to state, we assumed parenting would be easy...boy, were we wrong...

Oh so very wrong...

Those days often flood back like a wave in my mind, and like the daredevil I am, I've come to amuse myself with the moments that Shizuru sweeps under the rug. If you were to ask her about her days as a new mother, she would make it look easy. The truth of the matter, is that I'm more used to my life becoming one large running gag. Often, babies and small children make you look like an idiot, and I wasn't any acceptation for that rather unknown rule. In retrospect, neither was Shizuru, she just had more class than I did. Then again, I think I now understand why many suggested that we adopt.

Should I spell it out for you? It really isn't that difficult, but think of it this way...

Shizuru...her genes...Me, and my genes... now mix the two and what do you get? Yes, this class, is why we should have perhaps listened. We didn't though, it was like we had fluff in our ears or something. Otome powers should really have more restrictions placed on them, but let me just say, that regardless of how much I rant, and I do rant often, I love my kids. They are the best thing that's ever happened to me, even if there were some days that I questioned the sanity of myself, and everyone else around me for that matter.

I sometimes wish I could go back into the day when everything started, the day our son came home, and life began to become something both unexpected, and completely off the wall. Oh, I could sit and tell you the entire story, but I honestly think, my friend, that you would never believe me, even if I told you. I think I will sit here and giggle to myself, you'll never know why I look so amused, and you'll probably shrug me off. I, at the very least, will know just what is so funny, I will also know what is depressing. I'll leave you wondering, while I sit back and recall those days.

At least, that's what I would do, if I didn't want people to think me insane. So, I guess I have no other choice. Damn it, who am I fooling? No one, not even me. so I guess I'll tell you.

Now, I don't claim to be one of the smarter humans alive. In fact, I think I could put up the argument that I'm one of the dumbest, or at the very least, clumsy. Now back in my younger years, about, oh say when Shizuru was about a few months from delivering our son, who at the time we couldn't decide a name on, we finally moved into a rink-a-dink little shack that is now what I call home. Now, there was every problem known to man with this crap shoot of a house, but we, in our infinite wisdom, decided we wanted to stay on campus.

Mind you, this particular house was one of historical importance, at least, as far as Otome were concerned. It was rumored that our founder, the mother of all Otome grew up in this very place, and it had since been locked away, only time and dust to look after decided that we were going to fix this humble little abode. This, was likely a stupid idea for one reason. Why you ask... well, you see, it's like this...

* * *

><p>CRASH~ The sound of glass breaking echoed through the empty house. The four walls reverberated with power, the sound traveling even into the nearby forest, the ruckus chasing away the birds.<p>

"Opps..."  
>"Damn it Haruka, look what you did this time."<br>"Don't blame me, your the delinquent!"  
>"Last I looked it, was you who used a wrecking ball..."<p>

Foot falls came closer, each patter of the floor boards above shaking dirt, dust, and cobwebs from the old planks that could hardly be considered stable. First it was her shoes that came into view, old dilapidated sneakers that should have been thrown out years ago. Her white shirt was covered in grime, and her jeans were even worse, sporting two knee holes and a completely torn left back pocket. "Oh, sweet lord...Shizuru is gonna kill us..." Natsuki whispered in horror as she looked at one of the new windows they had bought. It was stained glass, and very expensive. Looking up near the ceiling, where it would have gone offering a picturesque skylight, only the circular hole remained.

"Well, what do you want us to do now?" Haruka asked as she and Nao stood in their robes, their powers were put on standstill as they both gazed at the broken window with fear.

"Go get a new one. Just get one that looks exactly the same..." Anh answered, peering in from the outside. "Shizuru won't be back for a few hours." She smiled her all knowing smirk as the three women below her took a breath of ease. "Better hurry though, President Yukino can't keep Shizuru away forever." With that, she went back to work, her head disappearing from sight. She hummed a little tune while she merrily went back to her hammering.

"Is that what you want us to do?" Nao asked lazily. She couldn't really care one way or the other, almost hoping Shizuru would catch wind of this.  
>"You heard the woman." Natsuki snapped curtly tossing Haruka a look. "But for the love of god, take Sara with you."<br>"Why her?" Nao frowned. "She's no fun at all."

"This isn't supposed to be fun, you've got to be back here before Shizuru kills me." Natsuki ranted before bellowing upstairs. "Sara! I need help down here with Frick and Frack!" It wasn't only a moment when the First Pillar, Sara Gallagher came walking down to the first floor with great haste. It only took her a glance before she sighed, she could only guess what happened. "Here take this," Natsuki began, handing the blond her wallet. "These two need a chaperone, and I need a replacement window. I know they have the right ones downtown. Nao and Haruka should remember what it looks like. Keep an eye on them."

"Sure thing." Sara nodded. Her golden hair was cropped short. She was a cap wearing girl, and today, at least out of uniform, she still managed to look trendy. Righting her hat properly upon her head, she began throwing admonishing looks at Haruka. "Haven't I told you that you must be more careful with your speech and actions?" She groused, pulling the much taller woman out the front door, Nao following behind with a smirk. "You are an Otome of high standing, act like one!"

"Now that that's settled, Natsuki, do you think you could come over here for a moment." Mai asked from the kitchen. She was doing the designs. It was one of her best abilities, and a kitchen wasn't any small task. "I'd like to know about Shizuru's cooking methods. Do you think she'd like an island counter, or perhaps a more open layout, one with a small table more centered?"

"Shizuru is more traditional." Natsuki answered. "She would prefer that most, if not all meals, would be eaten in the dinning room. So, how about doing an island in the middle, but one that we could put a few chairs around. You cool with that?" Natsuki took inventory of the space. It was going to be a chef's paradise. Then again, knowing Mai, it was the least Natsuki could expect. She could already see the space for the fridge, likely a double door style, and Natsuki also noted a whine chill-chest among other little bits an pieces. "Don't forget the microwave...some of us, namely me, commit mass murder if we attempt to use a stove."

"Yes, yes." Mai answered her, deadpanned eyes telling more than words would. "I'm well aware of that. We were classmates, remember?"  
>"I'm going to go finish painting the master bedroom, call if you need me."<br>"Will do."

It was four hours of painting, glossing, and ripping off all the painters tape before the front door flew open, the new glass window in hand. It was another hour before it was in place. "Oh my..." Anh gawked in rapt interest looking at the new beauty before her. "I must say, this is quite the tantalizing little piece of art you bought." Then, she cocked her head to the side. "Although, it is just a little bit risque."

"A little?" Nao bit her lip to keep from laughing.  
>"It's a naked woman!" A blond stated.<br>"Brilliant deduction Haruka." Sara, the other blond answered dryly.  
>"Red light district, here we come." Nao almost praised herself for this moment. "Hey Natsuki, come check this out!"<p>

"Did you get the-" Natsuki stood in place, her eyes glazing over for a moment. "...window..." Closing her eyes and sighed, she reopened her eyes. Much to her horror, the view didn't change.

"My, my, I do believe there's a naked woman on my ceiling..." Shizuru answered coming out of the kitchen, because she was showing, her normal purple Otome uniform had begun to get uncomfortable ages ago, and she had since grown to love baggy shirts and sweatpants. It was just too much work trying to keep up appearances. With one hand giving her support to her back, she almost looked angry. "Natsuki, you didn't put that up there, did you?"

"No!" Natsuki blurted out. "Those two idiots did it!"  
>"Natsuki, you should put this in your room..." Haruka answered, actually sounding serious. "It's kinda psychotic."<br>"It's erotic, Haruka. Erotic..." Sara sighed in exasperation, half tempted to shove a dictionary into the woman's face.  
>"Like hell is this going into the bedroom..." Natsuki then looked at Sara, her accusing eyes stuck on her. "How did this happen!"<br>"It's at least making Natsuki act that way..." Haruka whispered to Nao, who nodded vigorously.  
>"I should have known letting Nao pick would be a very bad idea..." That was all Sara could say.<p>

"You think!" Her face was a deep red, the color was almost deeper than Shizuru had ever surely seen on her own. "I mean look at that! My entryway has a...I mean...what the hell is that! A naked goddess? On my freaking ceiling...the first thing a person will see when they enter my home is a..." Natsuki peered off at her wife, her eyes all misty... "Shizuru...are you alright?"

"My Natsuki thinks that woman is a goddess...she pays no mind about me." She sniffled, her tears actually real this time. "Does my Natsuki really not love me any more? Is it because I'm fat...am I just not attractive enough for you?"

"No...no Shizuru. Don't think that. I would never think that. Never, ever, ever." The woman sighed as she pulled her distraught lover into a hug, glaring at the others. Anh shooed the audience outside, berating Nao for acting so irresponsibly. "It's alright Shizuru." Natsuki pulled fawn hair away from puffy eyes, looking into the well of emotions they held. "My Shizuru...never forget that." She spoke softly and gently, even though her wife had calmed, tears still flowed softly from those pained eyes. "I do love you. I always will."

* * *

><p>She was a complete and utter roller coaster of emotional trauma when she carried our firstborn. I remember, I had to tell her I loved her over and over, because unlike her normal teasing, it would actually backfire. Yes, the once great Shizuru would now be reduced into a crying fit because I'll forever be a jackass. Yes. You heard it here first, I am. If I would have thought more clearly before I spoke, that type of thing wouldn't happen. I love her now as much as I did back then. I wonder sometimes. Her teasing would often back me into a corner, but for some odd reason, when she was pregnant she didn't seem to like my responses. It was as if her teasing would make her think my moments of panic weren't strictly that. Thankfully, a few months after she gave birth, her teasing went back to normal.<p>

But, alas, I'm looking back fondly on a topic that I can't fully explain anyway...now where was I...

Oh yeah, so anyway, it took us weeks to get the place into a livable condition. The window? Well, that's a new and completely other issue...one that I'm ashamed to state, still likes to haunt me to this day. Let's just say anyone flying overhead has a nice little gander at some finer assets. It is now a perpetual running joke among our extended family of Otome comrades...as if I'd expect otherwise. It seems that my entire life is nothing but one gigantic running gag based on stupid things that no one, and I mean no one, would ever expect to encounter.

Now, life was pretty good after we moved into our new home. I could walk to work, Shizuru was safe and sound, I never had to worry. Not one bit. Now, I know you're excited about my darling children. I was too, trust me. There was a time I would continue to look at Shizuru, acting as if she was a ticking time bomb. It could be considered more or less as one of my newly acquired bad habits. As much as I fondly remember that time, I also smile with pride when it comes to the events of what happened before my little boy was brought into this world. I've said it once, I'll say it again. Children are not a cakewalk. Everyone who swoons and sighs over having a child fails to realize the real reasons why you should in the first place.

A few of the students were crazy about the idea. They somehow got the notion into their heads -although, now I think I know who to blame- that my son was going to become the school mascot. Garderobe is a school for women, might I just add. I digress. In all truthfulness, he actually became the talk of the campus well into his teens, but, I'll explain the reason for that later. There were to many things to get done, and not enough time to do it in. The house was modest, but it was nice. A very difficult endeavor over all. Time was of the essence, and I'll say that when we finally moved in, we found ourselves counting the seemingly endless tasks. The nursery was done completely...all accept...

* * *

><p>"Screw it!" Natsuki hollered, tossing the screwdriver onto the floor. "Kid can sleep with us...it'll be less hassle anyway..."<br>"Even when we want to have sex?" Shizuru had asked in all seriousness. She was missing her intimacy with Natsuki and her mind was just toying with her active libido.  
>"Damn... read the instructions and see if you can figure out what I'm doing wrong." Natsuki sighed exiting the baby's room.<p>

"I really wish you'd be more careful with your words." Shizuru begged aloud knowing her wife could hear her. "It'll only be worse for you if you keep on continuing to do it." She could hear Natsuki fidgeting around in the linen closet before watching her carry a box into the room. It held spare tools. "I think that you have one of the sides upside down, by the way." Shizuru commented offhandedly, not really worried about the crib. If Natsuki truly had a hard time of it, she could very easily call someone more knowledgeable about the fact.

"I'm sure I do." Natsuki nodded. "Among other crap. Where does this go?" She asked, holding up a plank of wood with a handle on it.  
>"That's a piece for one of the drawers." Shizuru answered, looking at the paper again. "Don't side step the conversation. You need to be more careful with that foul mouth of yours."<br>"My dad swore like a sailor." Natsuki shrugged. "I'm so used to hearing it, that I just do it without thinking."  
>"That's exactly my point." Shizuru sighed. "He'll be hearing it enough from others, you don't need to help."<p>

Natsuki nodded, but didn't comment. Shizuru knew it was a loosing battle anyway. It had been since day one, back when they had just begun a friendship in Garderobe. Shizuru knew back then that Natsuki wouldn't likely ease up, and even if she could withhold herself from swearing at work, at home, vulgarities seemed to be common place. Thinking now would be a good time, she changed the topic into one they hadn't exactly talked about yet. "So, what do you think about us having a son? I mean, normally the nano machines induce female babies by default. Never really heard of a male child before. It's kinda unheard of."

"Hmm." Shizuru could agree with that. It was a rare situation. She could still use her robe, she could still call that power. It was because of this, that both of them had expected their child to be a girl. "I know that's rare, but I'm not worried. I haven't had any complications yet, and, knock on wood, he won't when he's born." She sighed happily. "Three more days."

"Yeah..." It made them both contented. Three more days until the machines induced delivery.

* * *

><p>Funny little thing about machines. They don't much like anything within their host body, not even a baby. To suppress the issue, Shizuru had been on medication, all up until a few days prior. Then it was a waiting game. On her assigned due date, she was too be injected with a back up supply of machines, it caused her to go into labor. That was an entire rigmarole... one, that I honestly can't completely remember. I remember the days leading up to it just fine. Shizuru's nesting instinct went haywire...and I do mean that in the nicest way possible.<p>

Every damn little thing she did made her want to fix something else. The sheets were never white enough, the dinner never perfect...and don't even get me started on her need to clean every little speckle of dirt from the most odd of places. I sometime hid away with a few of my students under the guise of helping them train. Believe it or not, it was easier dealing with a class of teenagers than it was my wife back in those days. My pupils helped me keep my sanity...without them, I would have likely lost my mind...

Anyway, the last three days sped by father than I was willing to expect, I lived modestly on coffee and adrenaline... Then, my son was born.

-More to come-


End file.
